


Aniseed, Ginger, Cinnamon, Clove

by GenerallyHuxurious (GallifreyanOmnishambles)



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Candy, Chocolate, Comfort Food, Emperor Hux, First Order Rations, Food, Food Issues, Gift Giving, Hux Experiences The Foods of The Galaxy, Inspiration, Kylo Ren Bringing Gifts, M/M, Oral Fixation, Smoking, Spices
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 17:39:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6966733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GallifreyanOmnishambles/pseuds/GenerallyHuxurious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kylo Ren always assumed that as the top General of the First Order Nuwan Hux would have access to all the luxuries of power. Instead he finds that the principled officer eats the same terrible rations as everyone else in the food impoverished fleet. When Hux has a less than rational reaction to a simple treat Kylo decides to see how he might respond to the Galaxy's other flavours.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aniseed, Ginger, Cinnamon, Clove

Ren ate alone. He must do- assuming of course, that he ate at all. The ever present mask and the all pervading aura of fear the Force user worked so hard to cultivate would be negated by joining the rest of the crew for communal meal times. Hux knew the man had a small kitchenette in his quarters, a feature included in guest suites for the sake of hospitality and forbidden to First Order officers for the sake of morale. 

It was a lack that Hux often regretted. His day would be far more productive if it weren't for the twice daily requirement to eat with the rest of the crew. It was only through his rank that he was permitted to eat his lunch on the move, a change that had seen a 7.3% increase in his productivity. Of course he understood the reasons for the communal meal requirement, had written much of the directive himself. By removing the crews ability to store food privately the First Order also removed the temptation toward corruption and decadence. Every officer, stormtrooper and technician on board the Finalizer ate the same meal- adjusted to allow for variances in calorific or nutritional needs of course. It would be false economy to expect someone as muscular as Captain Phasma to thrive on the bird scratch Lieutenant Mitaka subsisted on. Similarly it would do the future of the Order no good to neglect the wellbeing of pregnant or injured crew. But to the casual observer the bland, grey meals where essentially the same.

And there was no more casual observer than Kylo Ren. The man had stormed into the mess hall demanding to speak with Hux and had then insisted that the General finish his meal. It was infuriating. Of course the best way to deal with an irritating Ren was to turn around and infuriate him right back. Which Hux had chosen to do by taking as long as humanly possible to finish his meal. 

\-----

Kylo wasn't sure he was breathing any more. He had needed to speak to Hux about the distribution of troops during their next raid and had been surprised to find the man seated at the the evening meal with the rest of his shift. That in itself had seemed bizarre- that so powerful a man would be sitting down to eat slop rather than indulging in something more refined in the privacy of his quarters. It was only when he turned his eyes from the plates to the General's face that he had lost the ability to speak. 

He'd often noticed the other mans lips when they'd argued on the bridge, or in the low lighting of the ship's corridors. Laughably plush and expressive, just like his own in fact, but plumper- the only scrap of softness on a figure made entirely of sharp cheekbones, jutting limbs and starched creases. They were fascinating in their own right those lips- the subtle twists and flexes forming a million distinct micro expressions of rage and contempt, pride and wrath- but now that they formed themselves around something other than vitriolic words Kylo found himself enthralled.

The food was the most unappetising thing he'd ever seen- colourless and almost formless- and Hux ate with every sign of relish. His slick pink tongue pressed the tines of the fork into his upper lip as he captured the meat behind his teeth. Then his lips pressed tight as his eyes drifted shut in apparent enjoyment, the juices sucked from the metal with achingly slowness as the fork was pulled from his mouth. It should not be possible to eat such an unappealing product so erotically. Especially since the General was apparently putting no conscious effort into the act. No one else at the table showed any awareness of his languorous expressions. In fact most of the crew seemed to be enjoying their meals too- as far as any First Order officer could ever be said to enjoy anything. Kylo wasn't sure how they could stomach it. 

There wasn't much that Kylo missed from his life before Snoke. 

Occasionally, on an especially long or unpleasant mission, he might miss access to hot water or a comfortable bed, but those things could be obtained almost anywhere and carried no great emotional significance. The one thing he did miss- especially during those first few lonely years in the Supreme Leader's citadel- was food and all the rituals that surrounded it.

Kylo supposed it was at least partially due to the effect of the Force on his physical senses. Like his uncle Luke he'd be blessed with excellent hearing and visual acuity, natural advantages to fighting that had been trained further during his time in the temple. But he'd always had a heightened awareness of smell and taste too. Neither Luke or Snoke had seen any benefit to these senses. 

Kylo would have agreed until he became Master of the Knights of Ren, when he discovered, through long days in enclosed spaces, that he could smell his companions moods and hormonal shifts. It became an early warning system that helped him head off explosions of violence, or avoid the amorous exploits of some of his colleagues. It aided him in becoming a better leader and so he cultivated it. His Knights had thought him mad at first with his sniffing and invasion of their personal spaces but they soon saw how it might aid them in battle or their more subtle operations. He had once found their target solely by the scent his lover had left on his skin. Despite the mask he wore, and the ashes it was stored in, his sense of smell remained unhindered. 

The stench of the food provided by the First Order to its troops was frankly offensive to him. He'd grown up on a combination of military rations and huge communal meals cooked in great vats to feed hundreds. But the Republic comprised hundreds of worlds and cultures so the offerings were rarely bland and never unappetising. By the time he was five he could identify every spice in the kitchens and deconstruct each meal into its component parts with a single taste. Here he wasn't sure he would be able to name a single ingredient, except possibly the distressingly poor grade meat that he was sure had come from a burden beast not meant for human consumption.

Gradually the smell of the food was overtaking his visual enjoyment of the General's eating habits. The fascinating curl of his tongue made Ren's fingers twitch but his stomach roiled at the all pervading scent. He had lozenges in a pocket of his armour for just such an occasion, usually saved for missions that might take place in noxious swampy atmospheres or else requiring close contact with the dead, situations where a keen sense of smell would be a detriment rather than a benefit. But he could not remove his helmet here to make use of them.

The double doors of the mess hall opened allowing a gust of recycled air to draw the unappetising scents across his senses. He made his choice.

"I have an urgent matter to attend to," he said stiffly trusting his vocoder to disguise the fact that he was resisting breathing through his nose, "I will meet you in communication bay twelve shortly." 

Turning on his heel he stalked out of the room without waiting for a response. This was only partially caused by his habit of never allowing the General to have the last word and had far more to do with his need to free his olfactory senses.

\-----

Glaring at the impossibly wide back of the infuriating Force user as he left, Hux came close to snapping the fork in his hand, bending the cheap metal with his thumb as his fingernails drove into his palm. This unpredictable behaviour was intolerable. Eat. Don't eat. Follow. Wait. Stay.

He was a General of the First Order. THE General, commander of the flagship, architect of their most wonderful weapon. He was not some domesticated animal to be ordered around. 

Eating slowly had lost its appeal without a captive audience to irritate, so Hux returned to his usual, more hurried pace. With each forkful he found himself more and more irritated. Oh how he would like to drive that fork into the creature's no doubt deformed face!

In the short time it took for the bowl to be emptied he'd resolved to follow the Knight and confront him immediately about his behaviour, whether he had vital matters to attend to or no.

The communications bay Ren had indicated was only a short walk from the mess hall. A rarely used backup facility housed in an unfrequented corridor, it presented a perfect location for a private meeting. Or an assassination.

As Hux stepped into the space he paused, suddenly unsure at the sight of a young man casually sitting on one of the inactive control panels, rifling through a small leather pouch. The man hadn't noticed his entrance or the way Hux stood frozen, drinking in the rich wavy hair, the glittering eyes, the full lips, the alabaster skin dotted with a constellation of moles... the broad shoulders... the horrible, ratty cloak and creaking leather armour of _Kylo REN_. 

Horrified that he'd instinctively found the unmasked Force user attractive, Hux took a rather melodramatic step backwards, gasping as he crashed into the door that had slide silently shut behind him. The effect of this gesture were two fold- it drew Kylo's attention to him for the first time and the intake of breath made him acutely aware of the unexpectedly intoxicating smell in the air.

Hux knew the smell of Kylo Ren, or he thought he did. The charnel house undertones of human ashes, the sharp overtones of stale sweat and ozone, the fear he drew about him from the rest of the crew like a cloak. In fact the General often had cause to lament his unnecessarily adept sense of smell when he found himself in close quarters with Kylo Ren. But now, in this small enclosed space, those acrid smells were subsumed by something different. 

Sweet, sharp, and herbal, the scent brought back sensory memories three decades lost. Life on a grey rainswept planet. The hardships of military training eased by the freedom of open skies and fresh breezes. Small pleasures. A rare embrace from a woman whose face he no longer remembered. Treats given in secret, hidden from Father. Tongues warmed by tiny sweets that left lips stained black and tingling. Teeth breaking through the crisp outer shell to the intense slice of root at the centre. Contests to see who could hold the sweet whole and uneaten the longest, laughter at winning, smiling even at losing because the sweet was its own reward.

Breathing deeply, Hux found himself transported to another time, his skin pleasantly warm at the rediscovered recollections. Blinking languidly with tired red rimmed eyes, he found Kylo Ren smiling at him. Unexpectedly soft full lips twisting into a surprisingly tender smile.

"What do you have there?" Hux asked, intending the question to be sharp and authoritative, but achieving only a wistful curiosity.

In answer Kylo opened his mouth, rolling his lips back enough to reveal a black lozenge gripped between purple stained teeth. 

"Sorry, this is the only one I had left," he said teasingly, his voice much richer and almost melodious without the modulator.

Hux felt a very different heat sink into his belly at those tones, a fire that joined forces with the unexpected desire he'd felt on first seeing the Knight's face. He knew he was flushing, could feel the creep of a blush easing up from beneath his collar.

"Of course, you're welcome to share it, if you like?" Ren said with a lascivious twist to his features, one eyebrow raising as he stuck out his tongue to display the candy once more. 

He almost choked on it when Hux threw himself forward in an act that involved no conscious thought at all. The slighter man had him half-pinned to the console with a kiss as passionate as it was utterly unexpected. But Kylo had spent too much time dreaming of those lips to dare question the General's actions. One gloved hand wound its way into perfectly gelled ginger locks, deepening the kiss, whilst the other drifted down to drag Hux forward onto the Force users lap, leather boots coming up to frame the Knight's thighs with an unexpected acquiescence. 

When Hux succeeded in hooking the candy out of Ren's mouth with a dexterous curl of his tongue he drew back, panting, a triumphant grin on his lips that faltered for a moment under the weight of Kylo's soft adoring expression. Just as the General began to tense and edge backwards, Ren's expression turned wicked. 

He leaned forward to drag a scented tongue along Hux' jawline, murmuring against his ear, "I've a whole box of those in my quarters, if your shift has finished..."

"You know, I rather think it has."

\-----

(art by [Space-Emos](http://space-emos.tumblr.com/))

\-----

Hux was asleep, limbs relaxed and sprawling, his face so much softer and kinder in repose than Kylo had ever seen him whilst awake. The last few hours had been a revelation. 

How had he ever thought that those lips were the only feature of Hux that had any decadence? Under his uniform, under Kylo's carefully exploring hands, under all the stress and anxiety Hux was surprisingly small and yielding. For all his height the man had very little flesh on his bones, and what he did have gave so easily against the pressure of Kylo's fingers. He'd trained so long and being isolated for so many years that Ren had forgotten the feeling of a body that didn't ripple with muscles. He was so surprised by the warm cushion of even a thin layer of fat that he'd dedicated nearly half an hour to mapping the sensation of it beneath his lips and fingers and hips, a process that Hux had fortunately enjoyed. Fortunate because Kylo had feared that once he started he would be unable to stop. 

In fact there were only two things about Hux had retained any of their true diamond intensity- his eyes, which burned like a turquoise fire not dissimilar to the one Kylo had seen when the man was midbattle; and his mind, which flashed through a thousand possibilities and strategies every second. Ren hadn't meant to look, but he'd been so loud and so open once he relaxed, that it was impossible not to see. The progress of his thoughts was fascinating, the myriad options he considered for every gesture and embrace, as if the bed were a battlefield and every moan a hard won victory. 

Now as he slept Hux' mind was no less loud though his dreams were so much less complex. Shocking simple in their lazer like focus in fact. His head resting on Kylo's chest, the Knight's heartbeat echoing through his mind, Hux dreamt of being Emperor. Arrayed in white, golden laurel wreaths woven through wild redhair, seated on a throne of platinum and marble, the dream Hux radiated power and confidence. This was clearly a well worn, comfortable dream. Hux showed no surprise at his ascension, instead he treated it as entirely natural. 

How long had he dreamed of ruling the Galaxy? It was certainly an alluring image. Kylo found himself approving for all that he was loyal to his Master. It felt right on some instinctive level, as if it were eventually guaranteed to become reality. Somehow the dream was comforting, pulling the General closer Ren drifted towards sleep. 

He was barely conscious anymore when the dream subtly shifted. The Emperor's face twisted into something like a smile as he turned his head. Kylo saw himself- hair long and braided, dressed in flowing robes of something silken- step out from behind the throne, resting one hand on Hux' shoulder before he moved forward to take a seat on the steps at the Emperor's feet.

With a contented sigh Ren sank into a deep and peaceful sleep.

\-----

It had been far too long since that first unexpected encounter and the revealing night that had followed. The raid Kylo had been planning for weeks had finally bourn fruit with the aid of the General's stormtroopers. So he and his Knights had spent almost a month in pursuit of the scattered Resistance informants, laying waste to a string of isolated settlements and half abandoned villages. It had felt good to have a tangible goal after too long spent idle. Closing the net around those who would commit treason against the peace the Galaxy truly deserved. 

There had been little spare time to dedicate to the thought of the redhead and his extreme reaction to something as simple as a strongly flavoured treat. Now, as he and his Knights sat on the floor of their shuttle to enjoy a rich, aromatic, victory meal, Kylo's mind wandered back to the flavourless fare he'd seen Hux consuming on the Finalizer.

Hux had eaten that slop with every sign of enjoyment, and he'd lost his fiercely guarded control at the taste of Kylo's herbal lozenge, so how would he react to something like this? 

As he scooped thick spiced sauce and chunks of slow cooked meat onto the flat bread in his hands Ren tried to imagine how Hux would look if he were sitting with him. Of course the overly fussy man would probably balk at the idea of eating with his hands. But beyond that? Would he appreciate the complex interactions of fourteen different spices, or would that overwhelm him? Would it be better to start him with the lightly spiced grains and build up from there? 

And then there was the matter of the gifts he'd obtained for the General in a moment of sentimentality. What would Hux make of them?

Tanma Ren had cooked seven different courses as usual, and there was far more food than the actually required for the short journey back to the flagship. Generally they would divide up the leftovers between them when they separated to complete their individual missions. It would serve as provisions for the few first few days flying alone, as well as acting as a culinary link to remind them of their kinship. Kylo had a slightly different purpose in mind for his portion. 

\-----

It wasn't unheard of for Ren to retreat directly to his quarters upon completion of his missions, especially those involving the other Knights of Ren. Hux had seen the man return battered, filthy, and exhausted after previous expeditions. The General could understand the appeal of privacy and the real water showers guests enjoyed, but the man had been on a mission of vital importance to the Order he should have reported his findings immediately. Instead he somehow imagined he had the clout to do this.

Hux glared at his pad, seething with offended pride. Rather than reporting immediately, Ren had chosen to demand the Generals presence in his personal quarters, ten minutes into the lunch hour. Grinding his teeth, Hux strode a circuit of the deck, trying to find a form of grounding in the efficient, well trained actions of his crew. At least they were predictable, understandable, reliable. They didn't baffle him with unexpected nights of passion or unsolicited gifts of contraband.

Of course he'd kept the lozenges Ren had given him during their encounter. The small transparent box was hidden in his bedside table along with other items that occasionally featured in his fantasies about the Force user. He careful rationed them, indulging in only one per week, uncertain of when he might ever obtain more, mildly ashamed that anything originating with Kylo Ren should hold such significance for him. 

The shame had been a mere idle thought when Ren had been off the Finalizer, presenting no temptation by his absence. Now that he was back on board Hux felt the discontent and desire as an almost visceral sensation. He hated what he had done and yet he wanted nothing more than to do it again. And of course now he would have to report to the creatures quarters like an ensign up on a charge, or refuse and risk the supreme leader ire. 

Realising he was still pacing the bridge Hux forced himself to stop at the main viewports, settling into his habitual parade rest stance and right back into his thoughts of Kylo Ren. He should return the lozenges, make it clear that no further encounters would occur and then insist that all future communications take place in a public space. Yes. He would do that. But, might Ren notice that some of the treats were gone... and if he did? Would he tease him about it? Or report him for handling contraband in retaliation for ending their dalliance? Was Hux simply placing too much significance on to everything that had happened? 

Abruptly he realised that the shift change was under way and the time for Kylo's requested meeting was approaching much too soon for him to retrieve anything from his quarters. 

Flustered and irritated with himself for focusing on a personal issue for far too long Hux strode smartly down the corridors, relieved to see them mostly empty as the crews settled into their new tasks. Ren's door opened before Hux had even reached for the control panel. His preoccupation was such that he entered without pausing his stride, only to find himself rocking to a standstill just inside the door with his first intake of breath. The door snapped closed at his back.

If the scent of that one lozenge had been inthralling in the sterile atmosphere of the communications station the atmosphere in Ren's apartment was nearly beyond description. The air felt thick, hot and almost oppressive. There was some steam in the air, a byproduct of the cooking process but main cause of the sensations was the hugely complex aromas in the air from a shockingly wide variety of foods arranged in a small room just visible from the antechamber. Ren sat on the floor in front of a low table almost overfilled with bowls and dishes, each one containing a different product, each of which was wholly alien to Hux.

Hesitating at the doorway the General eyed the Knight warily. "I can't accept this, as an officer of the First Order it would be entirely inappropriate for me..." He began, trailing off when phantom hands closed around his wrists, gentle but insistent.

"You are my guest," Ren said simply, gesturing to a cushion placed across from his own. Seeing the other man's continued hesitation he sighed, pushing one hand back through his dark curls. "This is a tradition amongst the Knights of Ren, to... reinforce alliances, you might say. To refuse would be to insult my culture. Diplomatic relations are placed at a higher value than mere First Order regulations."

"What? You _are_ part of the First Order, you fool."

"No, I'm not. I answer to the same power as you, but officially..." Ren shrugged, "there's no conflict of interest here. In these rooms nothing is contraband, simply by virtue of belonging to me."

Trying to hide his eagerness under a veneer of reluctance Hux allowed the grip on his wrists to gently lead him to the open space on the floor.

"And I hardly think seven ne'er-do-wells in poorly maintained armour can really be classified as a culture." He griped, unwilling to give in too easily.

"The Knights are a tradition with hundreds of years of heritage," Ren lied casually, "the First Order can barely trace their lineage back half a decade. An Emperor should have deeper roots than that."

"I beg your pardon?" Hux hissed, half rising to his feet, ready to leave, indignant at the other's mockery.

"Sit down General," Kylo gestured a languid hand and invisible weights pressed Hux back onto his cushion. "This meal contains nearly thirty spices from seven worlds, with dishes representing five distinct cultures. The First Order wishes to rule the Galaxy as one homogeneous group. This meal shows how traditions alien to one another can be mutually beneficial."

Hux raised an eyebrow. "Contraband AND treason now Ren? Or are you propositioning me?"

"Well now..." The smile Kylo gave him involved far too many teeth as his gaze turned lascivious. "Would we not be stronger together that we are apart?" 

"My budget would be more robust with fewer breakages, I know that." Hux grumbled, blushing slightly as he refused to meet the Knight's gaze, his mind broadcasting lust and snippets of his Imperial dream, Kylo seated at his feet on the dais, or otherwise occupied before the Emperor's throne.

"Eat first, more on _that_ later, my liege," Kylo said with a laugh as the the General's face flushed deep red.

"Stay out of my head, Ren."

"I'm not in your head. You're projecting into mine. Perhaps if you ate something, your mind might find itself otherwise occupied?" He suggested with a smile. Seeing the other mans indecision he added gently, "Or would you like me to take you on a tour of the table and describe the dishes for you?"

"I recognise the bread and the grains," Hux admitted, "but the rest seems... unnecessarily colourful..."

\-----

The next three hours passed relatively quietly, the contented murmur of chewing and other sounds of appreciation broken only by Ren's careful explanation of each dish. Each time he described the cook process, ingredients and origins of each dish in his slow deep tones Hux unconsciously edged closer, eye fixed on the Knight's mouth as he spoke. Had Kylo asked him about the phenomenon he would no doubt have justified himself by pointing out that the dishes themselves progressed in an order that drew closer to Ren as well. But he did not ask, content instead to let settle in close against his side.

He'd started with the grains, delicately flavoured but richly coloured by the mix of spices used. As expected Hux rankled at the prospect of eating with his hands so Kylo gave him a fork. A decision he immediately regretted when the General enjoyed the next dish- the pale meat of a fowl marinated in cream, nuts, and warming spices- so much that he licked the utensil clean after every bite. He found he had to swallow more than once as he tried to explain that the heat in the dish came from a root that shared it's name with a colloquial name for the colour of the General's hair. 

Whilst he tried the next three dishes - dry fried spiced tubers with greens, slow cooked buttered legumes, and an aromatic dish made from a wide variety of colourful squashes- with enthusiasm, Hux turned back to that first dish between each course. Finally he abandoned the fork in favour of using one of the pieces of bread to scrape the dish clean. He radiated such pleasure at the warm, sharp taste heating his tongue that Kylo found he could no longer resist.

After a small squeak of surprise Hux melted into the unexpected kiss, enjoying the way the flavours lingering in his mouth mixed with those on Kylo's own. Somehow Ren soon found himself with a lap full of General, the slim man straddling him almost thoughtlessly as he chased the thrill of unfamiliar tastes. 

There was one dish left, Kylo's personal favourite but also the one he was most wary of sharing with a man who had eaten nothing but bland tasteless food for nearly three decades. Featuring dark meat from an animal Kylo had caught himself, slow cooked over four hours in a thick, unctuous sauce coloured a deep jewel red by eleven different spices, the dish presented a challenge not just from its complexity but also from the heat added by the ground capsaicin powder. Due to his facial injury Tanma Ren favoured an especially hot blend of powder that Kylo had attempted to diffuse by adding more fermented milk, but in his desire not to spoil the colour by adding too much blur he feared he might not have added enough.

"Hux," he murmured against the redhead's ear when the man finally paused their kiss to breath. "There's on more dish, but it's a lot more... Ummm fiery than the others, so you not have to try it if you don't want to, I don't want to spoil the meal by hurting you."

The General frowned and turned his head to regard the bowls arranged on the table. "None of these are on fire Ren... Why would _ANYONE_ eat something that was on fire?!"

Laughter was not the diplomatic response but Kylo found it pulled from him anyway, dragging the other man closer to stifle the noise against his neck and sooth away the offence with gentle touches. 

"I mean there's a chemical in it that produces a warming sensation on the skin that at the right intensity becomes something closer to burning. Some people find it painful even at low quantities, others enjoy the effect even when the concentration is genuinely high enough to cause damage." Reach around the man in his lap Kylo scooped up a piece of meat with his bread, popping it into his mouth with a flourish. "This isn't hot enough to injure you, not by a long way- though it advise washing your hands before touching your eyes or anywhere intimate- but it might be too intense for y..."

Hux silenced him with his tongue, kissing him hand and deep, chasing the remains of the sauce across Ren's teeth and palette. 

"Hmmm.... Not so bad, warm certainly..." He said consideringly, licking Kylo's lips once more before twisting around to grab a piece of his own, his fingers much more dexterous with the bread that his inexperience should have allowed. 

Kylo watched him with trepidation as the General chewed slowly, a red tinge spreading across his cheeks as beads of sweat appeared on his nose and brows.

"You can spit it out if you need to," Ren said kindly, offering him one of the empty bowl. 

With a slightly giddy grin Hux swallowed, deliberately emphasising the noise. "That's amazing. How much of is it safe to eat?"

\-----

Laying together in Ren's bed once more the knight noticed that Hux kept unconsciously licking his lips, seeking the last remnants of flavours that had been replaced by the taste of skin and sweat. Reach out towards his mind Kylo blushed when he realised that the General was analysing the difference in the Knight's particular flavour between their two encounters. Forcing the path of his curiosity away from that particular thought Ren touched on a collection of cravings that he'd noticed during the post-coital moments of their previous night together.

"I... umm... I brought you something," he said, a little nervously, as he reached a hand in the direction his travel case and drew two boxes towards him with the Force, smiling when Hux raised an eyebrow at the display. "Well two things."

Accepting the first box Hux turned it over in his hand, easing the cardboard top back to reveal the cylinders inside. The aroma made him gasp, "cigarra? These are strictly rationed! Where did you get..." He tapped the box in a practiced gesture, freeing one enough to catch it between his teeth. Rather than the cheap white paper he was expecting the object was wrapped in dark leaves, and the scent was much stronger and richer than he was used to, almost spiced like the meal they'd just enjoyed. 

"They are spiced, there's a seed mixed in to give them a unique flavour," Kylo explained, gently touching a finger to the end to light it, "it's a tradition unique to Yavin IV. My colleague Romon Ren uses them in much the same way as I use the lozenges. I thought, since I've smelled tobac on you before, that these might draw less attention than the sweets."

"The do stain the teeth," Hux mused as he allowed a fragrant cloud to drift towards the ceiling, "though I suppose with the mask that's less of a concern for you."

Ren nodded, placing a small metal dish by Hux' hand to catch the ash, content to revel in the comfortable silence as the General slowly enjoyed his smoke. Gradually he relaxed back against the Knight until his head rested on his shoulder, red hair catching in Kylo's stubble. At some point, neither man would be able to pinpoint it later, Kylo's fingers began to stroke through the gingery hairs trailing across Hux' chest, chasing them down towards his navel with each deep intake of breath. In turn Hux moved his unoccupied hand to Ren's thigh. The feeling of rightness returned to Kylo's mind, the rich warm scents filling his lungs and soothing the roiling war of light and dark that always occupied his connection to the Force.

The last of the cigarra crushed out in the dish, Hux gestured slightly toward the second box, resting on the bed just beyond his reach. "I feel like I've already been spoiled far beyond my worth, but I can't help but be curious about that..." 

Taking the hint Kylo lifted the box with the Force, slowly rotating it in the air as the ribbons holding it closed untied themselves. Against his chest he felt rather than heard Hux snort with irritated amusement at the ostentatious display of power.

"These are from Yavin IV too, they're made from the seed of a plant that grows best there, though other planets cultivate it too." Kylo said placing the box in the General's hands. "These are amongst the best of their kind in the Galaxy, but lower quality versions can be bought almost anyway, beyond the borders of First Order space that is."

Frowning Hux poked at the oddly shaped treats coloured in various shades of brown. Some were decorated with swirls or stripes, whilst others were coated in dust or topped with tiny flakes of gold. 

Sensing the other man's wariness Ren reached around the red heads shoulder and plucked the plainest of the objects from the box. "Start with this one, it's the standard form, the others have fruits or other additions to change the flavour."

Tentatively Hux stuck out his tongue, dragging the treat from Kylo's fingers pausing to lick them clean. He chewed in silence. Minutes passed and he said nothing. Growing nervous at the lack of reaction, and the uncharacteristic stilling of the General's thoughts, Ren selected another object. This one was dusted with deep orange, almost the same colour as the hair curling around the other mans ears.

"Since you liked the other warming flavours I thought you might like this," he said carefully as Hux dutifully caught the offered sweet with his tongue once more. "It has the dried bark of a tree from the same planet in it to..."

He trailed of as Hux turned to look at him. He'd seen that facial expression before, whenever the General spoke of his fierce machine, the sun destroyer that was finally nearing completion. His eyes were wide, the usual turquoise colour somehow becoming icy blue in the low light of the apartment. Blinking Ren found his sight overlaid with a vision, the Force revealing a possibility that had now become a certainty, destiny set in stone. 

Before him sat Emperor Nuwan Hux, first of his name, arrayed in white robes, tiny cream cocao flowers woven into his hair where once there had been laurel leaves. The platinum and marble throne sat amongst a lush green rainforest, the great hulks of AT-STs only half hidden by the gigantic trees. Kylo saw himself seated on the steps once more, a terrible scar dividing his face, the price he would have to pay for this reality.

"Yavin IV?" Hux said a little breathlessly, licking his lips, "that's where these things are from?"

Awed by the power suddenly pouring off the other man in waves Kylo nodded, whispering, "yes, my liege."

"And would it make a good imperial capital? This planet with so many wonders?"

"You know, I rather think it will."

**Author's Note:**

> You can experience the tastes of this story with these Earth-based foods- [the lozenges](https://www.oldestsweetshop.co.uk/aniseed-balls), [the ginger curry](http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/creamychickenkormawi_90196), [tubers and greens](http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/saag_aloo_with_roasted_95304), [buttered legumes](http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/tarkadal_90055), [aromatic squashes](http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/775642/indian-butternut-squash-curry), [the red curry](http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/asia/indian/03/rec0324.html), [the treats from Yavin IV](http://www.prestat.co.uk/shop/milk-chocolate-cinnamon-spice-bar-75g.html). (Don't smoke kids!)


End file.
